Road: Bayfield wins South East League event

London Phoenix rider Richard Bayfield secured victory in the tenth round of the South East League’s Summer Series, staged at Woodchurch near Tunbridge Wells on Sunday.

The 43-year-old from Kent held off fellow veteran Nick Dibble from Maidstone for the victory, while Sam Bradford (VC Elan) took third spot.

Apart from a few early attacks which were quickly reeled in, nothing really stuck in the early stages of the 63-mile race.

“Eventually about a dozen or so of us got clear,” said Bayfield afterwards. “But we never really distances ourselves from the bunch, - they were always a threat.

“Then two and a half laps from the end I got away with a guy from the Addiscombe CC and we got a gap of around 20-25 seconds.

“But he faded back, and I was left on my own for a lap and a half. Apparently I had about 35 seconds at one point, but by the line it was down to about 15 seconds before the bunch.

“This is my best result of the season so far. I had a bad winter with tendonitis which pushed me back a couple of months, but I’m ramping it up nicely for the Ras at the end of June now.”

Results:

1 Richard Bayfield London Phoenix CC 3

2 Nick Dibble 4t+velo club 3V

3 Sam Bradford VC Elan 3-U23

4 Sean Oregan Team Toachim 3v

5 Scott Webb PM Racing 3

6 Paul Butler Sydenham Wheelers 3

7 Guillaume Rondy Dulwich Paragon CC 4

8 Roger Todd Club Cyclopark 3

9 Ian Leeding Norwood Paragon CC 3V

10 Craig Barton San Fairy Ann CC 4

11 Simon Collins Dulwich Paragon 3

12 Daniel Sims San Fairy Ann CC 3

13 Jeremy Phillips Dulwich Paragon CC 3

14 Nicholas Wood Thornton Road Club 4

15 Paul Clark PM Racing 3

16 Mark Whittaker GS Invicta 3

17 Shaun Williams San Fairy Ann CC 4

18 Tom Smith CC Hackney 3

19 Joe Godding PMR@cing 3

20 Josh Parkin Forme Bikes UK JUNIOR

21 Simon Charlesworth SFA Racing Team 3

22 Phil Hoffman San Fairy Ann CC 4

23 Peter Mahoney Sydenham Wheelers 3v

24 Mark Jary VC Londres 3

25 Stephen Sorba Dulwich Paragon 3v

26 Glen Whittington Bike Science / 4

27 Steven Smith Clay Cross RT 3

28 Rob Thatcher Sydenham Wheelers 3

29 Huck Garip Adalta cc 4v

30 Dave McCann 4

31 Simon Tovey Private 4

32 Andrew Watmore Addiscombe CC 3V

33 Ben Scruton SFA Racing Team 3

34 Simon Barnet VC Deal 4

35 Liam Walsh VC Deal 3

36 Jon Lyons GS Invicta 3V

37 Patrick Hawkins Dulwich Paragon 3V

38 Kevin Jeffries veloschils interbike 4

39 Mat Hammond Dulwich Paragon 4

40 Ian Lloyd San Fairy Ann CC 4

41 Simon Barnes None 4

42 Scott Gilchrist Condor Cycles 3

43 Dek Hanlon 4T+ 4

British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.